Have you ever needed to adjust your rates urgently – only to realize you weren’t in front of your computer?
NB: This is an article from LodgIQ, one of our Expert Partners
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Maybe you were traveling, off-site, or simply away when an opportunity or threat presented itself. In today’s fast-moving hospitality landscape, where demand shifts rapidly and events unfold in real time, agility isn’t optional – it’s essential. In this article, I’ll show you why modern revenue management must be mobile, reactive, and decentralized.
A market more unpredictable than ever
Today’s hotel market is volatile. Booking windows are shrinking, local events (concerts, protests, festivals, even weather) can create sudden spikes or drops in demand, and social media can trigger unexpected exposure overnight. The old model – adjusting your rates once a week – just doesn’t cut it anymore. You need the ability to respond immediately and intelligently.
Let me give you a clear example: imagine a surprise announcement for a major concert just steps from your hotel. Within hours, demand surges. Without the right tools, you risk selling your last rooms at base rates when you could be charging premium prices. You don’t want someone snapping up the “concert night room” at $169 when it could easily go for $600 that evening.
What agile revenue management really means
Agile pricing is the ability to make fast, smart decisions – no matter where you are. It’s built on four key principles:
- Real-time reactivity: Make pricing or restriction changes the moment something happens.
- Decentralized control: Let the people closest to the action respond directly.
- Data at your fingertips: Access key insights without Excel files or static dashboards.
- Continuous optimization: Don’t wait for weekly strategy meetings to make a move.
Making decisions on the fly: why mobile is a game changer
One of the most powerful enablers of agility is mobile access. Being able to update a rate from your phone – in a train, an airport, or your living room – changes everything. You can:
- Instantly close a date as soon as a big event is announced nearby.
- Increase rates on a premium room type when only a few are left.
- Add or remove restrictions based on last-minute strategy shifts.
Here’s a concrete example: a protest is suddenly announced that affects your hotel zone. You can immediately pause sales for a room category – or the entire property – within seconds.
Another real-world use case: you’re in the subway, in your car, or just waking up, and an alert notifies you of a demand surge. There’s no need to wait until you’re at your desk. In a few taps, you take control and capture the revenue opportunity.
